Shoshone Point

Grand Canyon, Arizona

An easy day hike to a glorious South Rim viewpoint. No Camping is permitted. The picnic area at the road’s end is an occasionally popular spot for weddings, family gatherings, and other festivities. The site is available for day use by fee and permit May 1 to October 15.
The majority of South Rim viewpoints offer easy and short, yet often crowded and noisy, access from their paved parking lots. Seldom does the viewer enjoy quiet solitude when gazing across the vast depths of the Grand Canyon. Shoshone Point is a notable exception. Anyone willing to walk a 1-mile, nearly level dirt road will enjoy the opportunity to contemplate this great canyon in relative solitude.

An easy day hike to a glorious South Rim viewpoint. No Camping is permitted. The picnic area at the road’s end is an occasionally popular spot for weddings, family gatherings, and other festivities. The site is available for day use by fee and permit May 1 to October 15.

The majority of South Rim viewpoints offer easy and short, yet often crowded and noisy, access from their paved parking lots. Seldom does the viewer enjoy quiet solitude when gazing across the vast depths of the Grand Canyon. Shoshone Point is a notable exception. Anyone willing to walk a 1-mile, nearly level dirt road will enjoy the opportunity to contemplate this great canyon in relative solitude.

Recent Trail Reviews

While this is certainly an EASY trail - it is THE one to take for the sheer views of the canyon and to get away from the crowds. We visited the canyon during the busiest week of the year and naturally found huge crowds everywhere we went. This trail being unmarked kept the average tourist from stopping. We called the day before to be sure that the trail was not reserved. Being a holiday we thought perhaps a family reunion would have been planned for the point but happily found out that it was available. We found the trail completely vacant. It was like having the entire Grand Canyon to ourselves. So peaceful we didn't want to leave. All you hear is the wind and the sound of your own footsteps. If you find these types of experiences spiritual, this is a trail to visit. (One correction for the guide - from the South Entrance road [64] turning right onto Desert View Drive the trailhead is only 2.4 miles on the left) One last thing to keep in mind. We were two adults. I would not recommend taking small children to this point unless heavily supervised. There are very steep drop offs and no rails at the rim.

This was an easy fire road to an amazing 180 degree panorama on the south rim. The trail is unmarked and barely mentioned on any of the park literature so we had the the place to ourselves...nearly impossible on the south rim. The trail was a pleasant mile and a half through tall ponderosa and juniper. It was half-shaded and very easy. And the view...absolutely stunning. A short climb down a razor spine of rock to a precarious white spire jutting out into the canyon. Sheer drops on all sides. A-May-Zing. And to have it in complete solitude made it all the more awe-inspiring. Totally worth it.

Nice, QUIET, relatively shady trail (well, actually it's a dirt road) along a pine forest that leads to an outlook point. At the end of the dirt road there is a picnic area with picnic tables and porta-potties (nice & clean!). There is a trail that leads from the picnic area to a point/rock that protrudes out into the canyon so the view is just gorgeous. But the best part is that there was noone else there so our family could enjoy the canyon in complete solitude! (which is very rare on the South Rim -- all other outlook points are very crowded & noisy.)